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9 Things IT Pros Want For 2017

The SolarWinds THWACK community lists its dreams for next year, including training and IoT security.

With the holiday season upon us, it’s time for being with loved ones, gift giving, and, of course, blinking red and green lights that don’t indicate trouble in the data center or on the network. One additional time-honored tradition comes to mind: writing wish lists, of course.

While children may wish for ponies and parents a vacation, what do IT professionals wish for? With that in mind, SolarWinds recently asked its THWACK community of more than 130,000 IT professionals just that.

In response, some said they would wish for more uptime, while others said they would ask for more secure networks and dedicated funding for education and certification. Overall, however, the responses shed light on what’s most important to IT professionals. But it also begs the age-old question: Will they get what they asked for this year?

So, pour some eggnog, sit down by the fire, and enjoy reading what other IT professionals are hoping for in the upcoming year.

Here’s to hoping dreams really do come true. Happy holidays!

(Image: Nobi_Prizue/iStockphoto)

Uptime all the time

I’d like one thing this year: No, not my two front teeth, but zero downtime in the cloud.

(Image: IftodeIulian/Getty Images with modification)

Avoid the naughty list

I just want all my network infrastructure components to continue to be nice to each other. Please, no naughty neighbors, no packet posties on strike, and absolutely no wonky “maintenance.” Thank you!

(Image: smartstock/iStockphoto)

The most important thing ever, err, at least on the network

I’d ask for world peace or something really important like that, but if I’m really and truly honest, right about now what I want is no multimedia software platform like Flash Player sitting on my network.

(Image: kynny/iStockphoto with modification)

A bucket o’ money

Please, oh, please, I’m begging for training and certification budget. I want to learn all the new shiny things! I’ll be holding my breath.

(Image: hidesy/iStockphoto with modification)

IoT security

What do I want this year? It’s simple: The end of the IoT, or at least the end of vulnerable IoT devices. Forget Christmas Island, welcome to Fantasy Island, I suppose.

(Image: Chesky_W/iStockphoto with modification)

On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and...SQL Server?

If I could ask our database for one thing this holiday season, I wish it would be much faster at doing things I really need done and not so quick to do the things I really didn’t want it to do in the first place.

(Image: BlackJack3D/iStockphoto with modification)

An automation miracle

What do I want under the tree this year? A self-healing IT infrastructure that sends me a list of issues of what’s wrong first thing in the morning with an easy check box for my approval to implement solutions for each.

(Image: Scanrail1/iStockphoto with modification)

Just document yourself already, will ya!

I’d like to think I’ve been real good this year. I didn’t even restart a switch without saving the running config once, and I documented when I did change things. So, I don’t think my holiday wish is too terribly onerous: My dearest network, please just start documenting yourself and then simply send me the drawings.

(Image: creativenaturemedia/iStockphoto with modification)

An ounce of prevention

Dear infrastructure, for the holidays this year, I would like you to give me the gift of preventing end users from clicking on those bad links and opening those dangerous attachments. But if they do, please block the bad code and prevent a successful cyberattack.